May 1st, 2026
by Chris Smith
by Chris Smith
Learning to Approach Our Father
In a world filled with chaos, uncertainty, and spiritual opposition, how do we stand firm? How do we navigate the complexities of daily life while remaining anchored in faith? The answer lies in something so fundamental, yet so often misunderstood: prayer.
Prayer isn't meant to be a religious exercise that we check off our ‘spiritual to-do list.’ It's not about impressing God with eloquent words or repeating phrases until we've somehow convinced Him to act. Rather, prayer is the dangerous weapon that prepares us for everything we'll face—both physical and spiritual.
Moving Beyond Religious Repetition
When Jesus taught His disciples to pray, He began with a crucial warning: "When you pray, do not use meaningless repetition as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard because of their many words." This wasn't a call to abandon structure or discipline in prayer. Instead, it was an invitation to something far more powerful—genuine conversation with the Creator of the universe.
The prayer Jesus taught wasn't meant to be mindlessly recited fifty times in hopes that God might finally hear us. It was given as a framework, a way of approaching the Father that transforms us from the inside out. When we engage with God rather than simply uttering words, everything changes.
Coming to Our Father
"Our Father, who is in heaven." These opening words establish something revolutionary. We're not approaching a distant deity who barely notices our existence. We're coming to our Father—the one who created us with intention, love, and purpose.
Through the blood of Christ, we've been adopted into God's family. We're not stepchildren or second-class citizens in His kingdom. Romans 8:15-16 reminds us that "the Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you should live in fear again. Rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by Him we cry, 'Abba, Father.'"
This is the beautiful tension of prayer: God is our loving Father who invites us close, yet He remains the God of all creation, worthy of awe and wonder. We come with joy and intimacy, but also with reverence and respect.
Our relationship with God in prayer is intended to be:
Hallowing His Name
After establishing our relationship as sons and daughters, Jesus teaches us to hallow God's name. This isn't about reminding God who He is—He hasn't forgotten. It's about reminding ourselves.
In Hebrew culture, a name represented everything about a person—their character, essence, and identity. When we hallow God's name, we're lifting up all that He is. We're fixing our eyes above our circumstances and placing them on the One who is above it all.
Consider who He is:
Elohim - The mighty Creator of the universe
Yahweh - The eternal, unchanging "I AM"
Adonai - Lord and Master with authority over all
El Shaddai - God Almighty, for whom nothing is impossible
Jehovah Jireh - The Lord who provides
Jehovah Rapha - The Lord who heals
Jehovah Nissi - The Lord our banner and victory
Jehovah Shalom - The Lord our peace
Jehovah Tsidkenu - The Lord our righteousness
When we spend time meditating on who God truly is, our capacity to trust Him expands exponentially. Suddenly, the impossible situations we face don't seem so overwhelming when we remember we serve El Shaddai, God Almighty.
Your Kingdom Come, Your Will Be Done
After remembering who God is, it becomes far easier to pray, "Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven."
This is where prayer becomes dangerous—and not in a safe, comfortable way. When we genuinely pray for God's kingdom to come, we're inviting His rule and reign into every area of our lives. We're stepping down from the throne of our own hearts and surrendering control.
God's kingdom cannot coexist with any other kingdom. Where His kingdom breaks in, darkness must flee. Unrighteousness must go. Wrong leadership must step aside. Salvation must take place.
This prayer begins with us. It's not primarily about changing the world "out there"—it starts with God's kingdom coming in our own hearts. Only then can we authentically pray for His kingdom to come in our families, our communities, our nation, and the world.
Jesus modeled this surrender in Gethsemane when He prayed, "Father, if this can be taken from me... but nevertheless, let Your will be done." God's will won't always fit our perfect idea. It won't always be comfortable or easy. But we're not in it alone, and the One leading us is faithful.
Daily Bread and Daily Dependence
"Give us this day our daily bread" is more than a request to fill our bellies. It's an acknowledgment of our complete dependence on God for everything we need.
Our greatest need isn't financial provision, though we can ask for that. Our greatest need isn't protection, wisdom, or strength, though we desperately need all of these. Our greatest need is more of Him.
When we pray for daily bread, we're asking God to sustain us not just physically, but spiritually. We're asking for a taste of eternity that keeps us from being consumed by the temporary concerns of this life.
This is where we bring our specific needs before the Father: provision, protection, wisdom, help, strength, comfort. He's not a distant deity uninterested in our daily struggles. He's a loving Father who wants to meet our needs.
Forgiveness: The Great Liberator
"Forgive us our debts as we have forgiven our debtors." This portion of prayer requires ruthless honesty.
We must confess our sins—not because God doesn't already know them, but because we need the freedom that comes from bringing them into the light. Whatever wretched thing we're afraid God might see, He already knows. Freedom doesn't come from hiding sin; it comes from confessing it and receiving His forgiveness.
Equally important is our forgiveness of others. We must release both the wrong done to us and the resentment we've carried. Unforgiveness is a prison we build for ourselves, and only we hold the key.
Deliverance from Temptation
"Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil." While God doesn't lead us into temptation, we're asking Him to keep us from the things that would cause us to stumble.
This requires wisdom and honesty about our own weaknesses. If certain situations, places, or relationships consistently lead us toward sin, we need to avoid them and ask God for the strength to overcome.
The Power of Daily Prayer
Our effectiveness in the world is directly determined by our preparation in quiet time with God. We can't be reactive Christians, only turning to God when crisis hits. We must be proactive, spending time with Him daily so we're prepared for whatever comes.
Prayer isn't an optional extra for followers of Christ—it's the essential key that unlocks His power in our lives. When we learn to pray the way Jesus taught us, our faith rises, His ways become visible, His kingdom breaks through, and the very purpose of our lives unfolds.
The question isn't whether we have time to pray. The question is whether we can afford not to.
Check out the full message: https://equippedchurch.net/messages
Learn more about Equipped Church: https://equippedchurch.net/about-us
Come worship with us & plan your visit: https://equippedchurch.net/plan-your-visit
Contact us: https://equippedchurch.net/contact-us
Prayer isn't meant to be a religious exercise that we check off our ‘spiritual to-do list.’ It's not about impressing God with eloquent words or repeating phrases until we've somehow convinced Him to act. Rather, prayer is the dangerous weapon that prepares us for everything we'll face—both physical and spiritual.
Moving Beyond Religious Repetition
When Jesus taught His disciples to pray, He began with a crucial warning: "When you pray, do not use meaningless repetition as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard because of their many words." This wasn't a call to abandon structure or discipline in prayer. Instead, it was an invitation to something far more powerful—genuine conversation with the Creator of the universe.
The prayer Jesus taught wasn't meant to be mindlessly recited fifty times in hopes that God might finally hear us. It was given as a framework, a way of approaching the Father that transforms us from the inside out. When we engage with God rather than simply uttering words, everything changes.
Coming to Our Father
"Our Father, who is in heaven." These opening words establish something revolutionary. We're not approaching a distant deity who barely notices our existence. We're coming to our Father—the one who created us with intention, love, and purpose.
Through the blood of Christ, we've been adopted into God's family. We're not stepchildren or second-class citizens in His kingdom. Romans 8:15-16 reminds us that "the Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you should live in fear again. Rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by Him we cry, 'Abba, Father.'"
This is the beautiful tension of prayer: God is our loving Father who invites us close, yet He remains the God of all creation, worthy of awe and wonder. We come with joy and intimacy, but also with reverence and respect.
Our relationship with God in prayer is intended to be:
- A place of deep trust where we can be completely vulnerable
- A safe space where fear has no foothold
- A place of rest and refreshing where we lay down our burdens
- A place of His authority and loving correction
- A place where we listen, learn, and receive guidance
- A place we genuinely want to be, not out of obligation but privilege
Hallowing His Name
After establishing our relationship as sons and daughters, Jesus teaches us to hallow God's name. This isn't about reminding God who He is—He hasn't forgotten. It's about reminding ourselves.
In Hebrew culture, a name represented everything about a person—their character, essence, and identity. When we hallow God's name, we're lifting up all that He is. We're fixing our eyes above our circumstances and placing them on the One who is above it all.
Consider who He is:
Elohim - The mighty Creator of the universe
Yahweh - The eternal, unchanging "I AM"
Adonai - Lord and Master with authority over all
El Shaddai - God Almighty, for whom nothing is impossible
Jehovah Jireh - The Lord who provides
Jehovah Rapha - The Lord who heals
Jehovah Nissi - The Lord our banner and victory
Jehovah Shalom - The Lord our peace
Jehovah Tsidkenu - The Lord our righteousness
When we spend time meditating on who God truly is, our capacity to trust Him expands exponentially. Suddenly, the impossible situations we face don't seem so overwhelming when we remember we serve El Shaddai, God Almighty.
Your Kingdom Come, Your Will Be Done
After remembering who God is, it becomes far easier to pray, "Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven."
This is where prayer becomes dangerous—and not in a safe, comfortable way. When we genuinely pray for God's kingdom to come, we're inviting His rule and reign into every area of our lives. We're stepping down from the throne of our own hearts and surrendering control.
God's kingdom cannot coexist with any other kingdom. Where His kingdom breaks in, darkness must flee. Unrighteousness must go. Wrong leadership must step aside. Salvation must take place.
This prayer begins with us. It's not primarily about changing the world "out there"—it starts with God's kingdom coming in our own hearts. Only then can we authentically pray for His kingdom to come in our families, our communities, our nation, and the world.
Jesus modeled this surrender in Gethsemane when He prayed, "Father, if this can be taken from me... but nevertheless, let Your will be done." God's will won't always fit our perfect idea. It won't always be comfortable or easy. But we're not in it alone, and the One leading us is faithful.
Daily Bread and Daily Dependence
"Give us this day our daily bread" is more than a request to fill our bellies. It's an acknowledgment of our complete dependence on God for everything we need.
Our greatest need isn't financial provision, though we can ask for that. Our greatest need isn't protection, wisdom, or strength, though we desperately need all of these. Our greatest need is more of Him.
When we pray for daily bread, we're asking God to sustain us not just physically, but spiritually. We're asking for a taste of eternity that keeps us from being consumed by the temporary concerns of this life.
This is where we bring our specific needs before the Father: provision, protection, wisdom, help, strength, comfort. He's not a distant deity uninterested in our daily struggles. He's a loving Father who wants to meet our needs.
Forgiveness: The Great Liberator
"Forgive us our debts as we have forgiven our debtors." This portion of prayer requires ruthless honesty.
We must confess our sins—not because God doesn't already know them, but because we need the freedom that comes from bringing them into the light. Whatever wretched thing we're afraid God might see, He already knows. Freedom doesn't come from hiding sin; it comes from confessing it and receiving His forgiveness.
Equally important is our forgiveness of others. We must release both the wrong done to us and the resentment we've carried. Unforgiveness is a prison we build for ourselves, and only we hold the key.
Deliverance from Temptation
"Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil." While God doesn't lead us into temptation, we're asking Him to keep us from the things that would cause us to stumble.
This requires wisdom and honesty about our own weaknesses. If certain situations, places, or relationships consistently lead us toward sin, we need to avoid them and ask God for the strength to overcome.
The Power of Daily Prayer
Our effectiveness in the world is directly determined by our preparation in quiet time with God. We can't be reactive Christians, only turning to God when crisis hits. We must be proactive, spending time with Him daily so we're prepared for whatever comes.
Prayer isn't an optional extra for followers of Christ—it's the essential key that unlocks His power in our lives. When we learn to pray the way Jesus taught us, our faith rises, His ways become visible, His kingdom breaks through, and the very purpose of our lives unfolds.
The question isn't whether we have time to pray. The question is whether we can afford not to.
Check out the full message: https://equippedchurch.net/messages
Learn more about Equipped Church: https://equippedchurch.net/about-us
Come worship with us & plan your visit: https://equippedchurch.net/plan-your-visit
Contact us: https://equippedchurch.net/contact-us
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